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March 24, 2006

All-star cast set for “March of Penguins” spoof

by Sam Savage

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Samuel L. Jackson has signed
on to narrate an upcoming spoof of the Oscar-winning
documentary "March of the Penguins" with an all-star supporting
voice cast, independent studio ThinkFilm said on Friday.

"Farce of the Penguins," mixing archival wildlife footage
with an R-rated screenplay written and directed by comedian Bob
Saget, is aimed for a late-summer theatrical release, ThinkFilm
spokesman Alex Klenert said.

In press materials, ThinkFilm described "Farce of the
Penguins" as the story of "one penguin's search for love while
on a 70-mile (112-km) trek with his libidinous buddies on their
way to a hedonistic mating ritual."

Saget will supply the voice of several characters,
including the lovelorn penguin at the center of the story, with
Tracy Morgan, Lewis Black and Mo'Nique as some of his pals.

Saget, who hosted the popular TV show "America's Funniest
Home Videos" for several years after starring on family sitcom
"Full House" from 1987 to 1995, also has rounded up a group of
well-known friends for cameo voice roles in the film. They
include Jason Alexander, James Belushi, Norm Crosby, Whoopi
Goldberg, Gilbert Gottfried, Jon Lovitz, Norm Macdonald and Abe
Vigoda.

Jackson, an Oscar nominee for his role in "Pulp Fiction,"
will narrate the picture, a takeoff on the French-made nature
film that became worldwide box office hit and won the Oscar for
best documentary.

The original film, narrated by actor Morgan Freeman for the
U.S. release, chronicled the journeys of emperor penguins
across the frozen wasteland of Antarctica to mate, lay their
eggs and bear their young.

Saget said he got the idea for the film while watching the
original "March of the Penguins" at a friend's house.

"I couldn't stop doing the voice-overs of the penguins,
reminiscent of when I did those animal voices on that video
show back in the day," he said.

Privately owned ThinkFilm also was a distributor behind the
Oscar-nominated documentary "Murderball" and the film featuring
Saget and other comics performing various renditions of the
off-color "Aristocrats" joke.